Trump Celebrates Independence Day with Historic Flags

President Trump gathered Americans for a speech marking Independence Day this past Saturday night, delivering several remarks throughout the evening.

Against the backdrop of the National Mall, he showcased a series of historic American flags, taking pride in sharing their significance.

The first flag he highlighted dates back to 1777, symbolizing 13 stars and stripes that represent the original states claiming independence on the Fourth of July. “This was the flag that won at Saratoga,” he emphasized, labeling it “the real deal.”

Continuing his history lesson, Trump stated, “These are common flags. This was the banner carried by the British army when they waved the white flag of surrender at Yorktown.” He noted the monumental nature of that surrender, explaining no one had expected it.

This particular flag features stars arranged in a rare 4-5-4 pattern, making it distinct from the Betsy Ross flag, which is often recognized for its circular arrangement of 13 stars.

Later, Trump invited the grandsons of Buffalo Bill Cody to join him on stage, declaring, “They stand beside one of the first flags to wave over our growing nation. Just like Lewis and Clark’s journey in 1803, the Star-Spangled Banner was taken westward.”

He also mentioned the first flag raised over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, describing it as one of the most beautiful bridges ever built in 1883.

“On its right is the flag that flew over our flagship after the U.S. Navy defeated the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay,” Trump said, calling it one of history’s remarkable naval victories. He drew a comparison to a recent event where an entire fleet reportedly sank quickly.

During the address, the president acknowledged distinguished veterans. At a certain point, Ken Schubring, a hundred-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, saluted the flag that went down with the USS Arizona during the attack on December 7, 1941. Meanwhile, 107-year-old Arthur Rhodes saluted the flag from one of the early landing craft on D-Day.

Over its 250-year span, America has had 27 official flags, increasing in stars as new states joined the Union. The latest updates were in 1959 and 1960 when Alaska and Hawaii were added.

Each official American flag contains at least 13 alternating red and white stripes to commemorate the original 13 colonies.

In 1818, Congress enacted the Flag Act, which set guidelines for the official flag’s design and mandated that new flags for newly admitted states be displayed on the next Independence Day.